diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
index 587ec7da09aa..60c63b23e3ba 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/intel_rdt_rdtgroup.c
@@ -1918,7 +1918,8 @@ static int rdtgroup_rmdir(struct kernfs_node *kn)
 	 * If the rdtgroup is a mon group and parent directory
 	 * is a valid "mon_groups" directory, remove the mon group.
 	 */
-	if (rdtgrp->type == RDTCTRL_GROUP && parent_kn == rdtgroup_default.kn)
+	if (rdtgrp->type == RDTCTRL_GROUP && parent_kn == rdtgroup_default.kn &&
+	    rdtgrp != &rdtgroup_default)
 		ret = rdtgroup_rmdir_ctrl(kn, rdtgrp, tmpmask);
 	else if (rdtgrp->type == RDTMON_GROUP &&
 		 is_mon_groups(parent_kn, kn->name))